


Right Here

by AuthorToBeNamedLater



Category: Star Wars - All Media Types, Star Wars: The Clone Wars (2008) - All Media Types
Genre: Angst, Brotherly Love, Friendship, Gen, Hurt/Comfort
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-12-27
Updated: 2016-12-27
Packaged: 2018-09-12 17:55:25
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 638
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9083161
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/AuthorToBeNamedLater/pseuds/AuthorToBeNamedLater
Summary: Anakin doesn't want to sleep. He doesn't want to dream.





	

**Author's Note:**

> This fandom needs more Anakin and Rex brotherly love. Seriously, this is a target-rich environment and more of us need to start shooting.

Anakin woke in a blind panic.

 _Where am I?_ Anakin tried to sit up and fear took a backseat to pain as a stabbing, burning sensation exploded in his chest and a hoarse cry tore from his throat. _Was I shot? What happened?_

“Please remain still,” a clinical, mechanical voice admonished. “You have sustained severe injuries.”

 _Severe injuries? How severe?_ Anakin tried to push himself upright.

“Please remain still,” the voice sounded again. “You have—”

“Out of the way, clanker,” Kix snapped, shoving the medical droid aside. “General Skywalker, you need to lie down, sir.”

Anakin let out a whimper unbecoming of a Jedi Knight and let himself be manhandled onto his back. “What…” he could barely get enough breath to speak more than a word. “…happened—”

“You have a broken sternum,” Kix said softly. “We don’t have a bone knitter available right now. When we do you’ll be right as rain. Until then I need you to lie still.”

Resolute. _I’m back on the_ Resolute. “What happened?” Anakin croaked.

“It was a trap,” Kix explained. “Seps ambushed us. We got out just in time.”

Flashes of memory pieced themselves together in Anakin’s head and his eyes snapped open as panic surged again. “Where’s Obi-Wan?” He tried to sit up.

“General—”

Anakin grabbed Kix by the breastplate. _“Where?”_

“On the bridge,” Kix said placatingly. He gently settled Anakin back on the bed. “Remember what I said about lying still?”

“Ahsoka?” Anakin could feel his whole body shaking with agony and fear.

“In her cabin. Sleeping.” Kix smoothed his hands down Anakin’s arms. “She’s banged up, but she’s all right.”

“How many men did we lose?” Anakin asked, not taking his eyes off his medic.

Kix’s smile widened. “None.”

“What?”

“None,” Kix repeated. “We’re all OK. There are some broken bones and a lot of bruises, but we’re all OK.”

Anakin let his head drop back on the pillow. With the adrenaline wearing off the pain in his chest increased tenfold. He knew the Jedi pain relief techniques, of course, but they all required a deep breath—and that was just out of the question at the moment.

“Sir.” Kix leaned in closer. “I know pain medication is usually not recommended for Jedi, but I can give you some if you want.” He quirked a wry smile. “I’ll give you the strong stuff.”

Anakin nodded weakly. He felt Kix tinkering with the IV.

“Kix,” one of the other clones called from across the medical bay.

“Be right there, Duke,” Kix called quietly. He laid a gentle hand on Anakin’s shoulder and headed off.

“General.” Rex appeared in Anakin’s increasingly blurry vision. The young Jedi tried to tell himself it was just the medication making his eyes water.

 _Rex._ Anakin tried to speak but the words wouldn’t come out. A lone tear escaped his eye and Rex deftly wiped it away. Anakin leaned his cheek into his captain’s palm as a few more tears broke free. Good thing his chest hurt so badly; at least he couldn’t be a sobbing mess in front of his men.

Rex, however, didn’t seem to mind. “It’s all right, sir. Everything’s all right.”

Anakin felt his grip on reality starting to slacken and he instinctively pushed back, like trying to fight against a current too strong for him. No, no, he didn’t want to sleep. He didn’t want to dream….

As if sensing his general’s struggle, Rex slipped his hand into Anakin’s and Anakin held on for dear life. “Rex…”

“Shhh.” Rex swept his thumb over Anakin’s cheekbone. “You sleep now, General. Rest. We’ve got the watch.”

“Rex…”

“I know.” Rex gave his general’s hand a reassuring squeeze. “I know. I’ll be right here.”

Unable to stay conscious any longer, Anakin dropped into slumber. For the first time in years he did not dream.

**Author's Note:**

> I'm not entirely sure where this came from. It's just a little scene that's been in my head for awhile. I always imagined Rex and Anakin have bonded over nightmares at some point.


End file.
